There is a picture in this book, ‘Kurt Cobain’, where
Nirvana’s Lead man Kurt Cobain is seen sporting a T-shirt with a caption “Grunge
Is Dead”, because the “Father of Grunge” had it on before his inevitable death,
Christopher Sandford, the author, says it was premature(like his child he is
holding in the picture). I think it was Kurt Cobain’s presentiment, or was it?
I had an intuition about it like the one Kurt had after so
much of drugs, sex, violence and Grunge and grudge in his life and therefore in
the book.
The grudge he had against everything and everyone, against
friends and enemies and his own self died with him.
‘Nevermind’ to remind you this and all of Kurt’s exploits,
habits, self reverence and self torture and Punk there remain his songs and
this book, ‘Kurt Cobain’, a biography of the book’s namesake written by
Christopher Sandford.
Christopher Sandford relies on first hand interviews and
myriad anecdotes of people associated with Kurt to build his story.
‘Kurt Cobain’ is a dark fairy tale of a self proclaimed Rock
star, Nirvana’s vocalist and guitarist, who changed the masses and the path of
masses by being one of them yet not connecting with. It surprises, astonishes
and shocks you from the very beginning and you know you are reading a gray
story.
Mr. Sandford at times treats the revered ‘Punk star’ with
contempt and hence biases the coin. May be Christopher did not interview the
protagonist’s fans extensively or did not have the energy to do so.
‘Kurt Cobain’ is a good book as one sided story of the
paranoid musician. Written nicely with treatment of satires at places it is a good
one time read.
Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain’s music is good and for his life study
keep another book ready at hand after reading this.
Without any presentiment or intuition and totally after
reading ‘Kurt Cobain’ I title my review “Grudge is Dead”.
My rating 2.5/5.